Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-19


RE ACOUSTIC rERRoRs or rHR GREAT CITY AT NOON
now THE DINNER HOUR Is UsHEREp rS-A CLERICAL
BoRE-wHAr WAS HEARD on JOURNEY FROM PHIL
ADELrHiA.
Special Correspondence Of THE EVENING STAR
NEW YORK, March is.
MOST uNEARrHLy NOISE
Is heard In New York every day at high noon. The
uproar begins as soon as the time-ball drops on
the Western Union building, and continues for Q
minute or more. II seems to MI every inch OF
space beneath the armament 1t Is a compilation
OF means. shrieSs, yes, groans and similar tones
OF horror that would cirde the blood OF a savage
An old soldier who heard ft said that it sounded as
though all the shells in the Universe were living
through the air at once. on Broadway and IN
down-town streets where the roar OF trafc is like
the roar Oh Niagara, this MONDAY outburst is
deadened. II comes 10 the ear there like a con-
fused murmur over the clatter OF horse-shoes. the
jingling OF car bells the rumble or truck wheels
the thunder OF the elevated roads and the striking
OF town CLOCKS This confused murmur sounds
like the roar OF the surf in great Storm when
heard from the open windows OF offices In such
lofty edifices as the Field, the Kelly the Mills, the
Potter the Morse, and other buildings. IL becomes
only startling reaiity-something weird and IN
canny-when It reaches you in the yards OF pr1-
shut out By surrounding brick and mortar. Heard
rom this point the volume OF sound is tndescrfba-
Bile II seems to gather strength with Duration,
fugue: An untetored backwoOdsman might read
lily believe that an army OF demons was lighting In
the ar above him. It Is the condensation OF
THIS INTERNAL DIN
marks the dinner hour for New York workingmen.
Probably 1000 steam whistles are blowing at once
They vary in intensity from the shrek OF the little
tugboat TO the awful moan OF the great manufac.
Tory employing thousands, whose vibrations fairly
a.
mea swarm along the docks as soon az the noise
is heard. They are stevedores, 'longshoremen and
others on their way to dinner. In spring and
summer the narrow streets down town are filled
with mechanics with inky arms and paper caps
ness houses and eat their lunches. Baker shops
are crowded with shop girls buying pies and cakes
Tor the thousands employed In lofts on Broadway
ana elsewhere. Cheap restaurants, where dinners
are served at from Is to 30 cents are packed with
clerks and hungry urchins. The italian fruit
pulverized sugar settle on the waffies turned out
from the little furnaces at street corners and the
peanut vender is alive and attendant to duty.
FOR BIRDS AID BEASTS.
It Is not only dinner hour for men, but din.
ner hour for birds and beasts. The shriekfng OF
the universal calliope has hardly died away be.
fore hundreds OF feed bags in hundreds OF streets
are filled with oats, and drawn over the ears OF
40. coo horses. These horses stand everywhere,
shaking their heads In an enOrt to reach the
bottoms or the bags scattering oats over cutters
and pavements. Driver and horse arc frequently
selves are sight Some have wooden body. and
are hemmed Ike sails. Others are made out OF
gunny bags and similar material and others stu
distributing the mails enjoy their meals In iron
feed boxes ranged along Nail street In the rear OF
the post office. Less feed is thus wasted II Is an
meE. Many OF these carry homemade wooden
troughs beneath their seats hitting legs into them,
much as q Coney Island photographer plants his
instrument before an attracted countryman. An
army OF sparrows usually surrounds a SOLDERING
horse. 1t Is their dinner hour. As the oats drop
from the tossing feedbags they 60 into the crops
OF the sparrows There is much competition for
the choice grains, resulting In many q cock-nght
where Bergh and his society are set at open de-
fiance. Such fights usually last until one OF the
comoatants Is Knocked out. They attract crowds
are required to dsperse the blockade and keep the
wheels OF commerce in motion.
THE STORY OF A WHARF RAT.
Along the wharves, however. the field is not so
clear for the sparr0ws. The rat and the pigeon
claim share OF the spoils The rat here almost
equals the sparrow in impudence. It seems to
have no tear OF man, and is so watchful and nm-
bic that 1t avoids every missile aside from the
bullet OF pistol The sparrows frequently Or
ganize and give battle to the rodents. Pick Nc
Keen, a well-known emplOye on the wharves Of
the Pennsylvania company, assures me that he
has seen many an old rat lose its eye in a tight
with the sparrows. Once he saw q sparrow caught
by q One-eyed rat. The Quadruped had apparently
lost his eye in one OF the cat troubles some weeks
spirit Of revenge. "For two days." says PICK, 81
saw the rG lying on his back, under string
Pe as THOUGH dea Spe D sS
illing themselves. On the third day the horse
had D tantrum, and shook the oats all over the
rat. The sparrows ate the scattered oats flrst.
They were evidently suspicious OF the rat, al
though he had been lying there at their dinner
hour for two days. Finally a bold little cock
from between his hind legs In jiIy the rat
doubled on him. There was snap like the blades
dying gasp, and the Fat dragged hun away with
one wing trailing behind him"
'epidnt you interfere?" asked.
"Bet your dicer didn't wouldn't allow any.
body to interfere with me II was getting square
with fellow, would II"
Just then 5000 steam whistles blew. New York's
dinner hour was over, and the city had resumed
its normal business activity.
TIE MOST OPPRESSIVE BORE
is the one who insists on making himself agree
able have had as extensive an acquaintance
with the genus bore as care to have but never
met more malignant and full-blown specimen
than the one that came into car on the Penn
sylvania road the other day just as We were leav
ing Philadelphia for New York. He was clergy
bic face was clean-shaven, his stock was high
around his short neck and be rubbed his hands
gently as ne spoke From such smooth exterior
was in the nature OF surprise, therefore TO hear
the raSping and strident tones that Ratified forth
across the surface Of rusty saw. ne had in tow
the leading deacon OF hts church, gentleman
who was distinguished by volumlnous ears, a
manner OF reserve and deafness OF appalling
density. He was evidently very rich.
The car started on its two hours journey TO New
York. ! had been up late the night before, and
was to enjoy nap OF about two hours before the
train reached New York. turned the chair
around, drew down the shades, pulled an old
travelling cap over my eyes, disposed OF an ample
length or limb In tangled but fetching manner
Slid down in my seat until most or my weight
rested on the back OF my neck, and prepared TO
slide gently into oblivion, when suddenly shout
rent The air. 1t was the clergyman. He was in
the middle OF the car, sitting well forward In his
seat and facing the ample ear OF the man who
could not hear.
al have just received q small book from q
brother in England" he yelled In a voice that
smOte the air a hammer smites q boiler,
sand it contains some choice details OF the Colin
Campbell case"
Cromwell Chase very We'll"
"No, no, the Campbell divorce case"
ooh, yes; what about it,"
'srve got O book with all the details screamed
the minister smiling with an expression OF sweet
SHS. hos said the deacon, opening his eyes wide,
scot It with your"
''No, STR"
swell tell me sumpn about It then"
locked about the car, and every face was
turned toward the pastor and his companion. The
clergyman h0wled at the top OF his lungs, and
was reiOiced to observe that he grew more and
more husky and h0arse Is he proceeded. Then
began the recital OF the dirty details or the cele-
brated divorce case, which, for brazen fndecency,
passed anything had ever before heard In public.
do not know the name OF the clergyman. IL
l,o